But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. Then the Lord ’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God.
2 Samuel 6:6-7
We all seem to struggle with authority. It’s not unusual for us to think we are smarter than those who are in charge.
It’s not so much about following instructions; we just have better ideas. Sometimes we think we know better than those who are in charge. Sound familiar?
David was returning the ark of the covenant back to Jerusalem to provide a central place of worship for all of Israel. God had specific rules for how it was to be carried. The Levites were appointed to carry it on poles that were slipped through rings on the sides to avoid touching it. So David’s first mistake was placing the ark on a cart that disregarded its holy nature.
Then God struck Uzzah because he erred in thinking the ground was less holy than his own hand. He thought he had a good idea to keep it from tipping over. His intentions were good, but by touching it he was insensitive to its sacredness and acted irreverently.
Sometimes we act the same way towards God. He has designed magnificent plans that we need to follow. We err in thinking that we have a better idea. We must remember that God’s ways are better than ours. He desires that we listen and obey immediately and completely for His glory and for our good. Any other way is simply disregarding His authority in our life.
Pray
Lord, help me to know Your will and way for my life. When I struggle with living my life Your way, help me to remember that You are in control and I must submit to Your authority.
